Senior Student Relations Specialist

Direct Reporting Line:

Head: Student Experience

Emeris is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE). The IIE enjoys the reputation of being at the forefront of private higher education in South Africa, and is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) to provide higher education qualifications accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

Emeris, Ruimsig Campus has a vacancy for a Senior Student Relations Specialist.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Student Registration and Academic Progression Counselling

• Facilitates consultations with students in cases where a change is required to their current registration contract, e.g. this could be for students who wish to change within a semester, between semesters or between years of study.
• Liaises with the Admission Centre and Academic team on all relevant registration related queries.
• Works with the Admission Centre to understand different curriculum scenarios (e.g. phase-in and phase-out etc.) to ensure that the student is advised correctly.
• In collaboration with the Campus Deputy Head and/or Head: Academic Operations and/or Deputy Head: Academic Operations, the Senior Student Relations Specialist supervises the Student Relations Centre during the retention Project on campus so as to ensure students are correctly advised and counselled with regards to academic progression and the timeous completion of registration contracts for the new academic year.

Active Student Engagement and Support

• Delivers the academic orientation programme for new and returning students by means of programme information presentations, an overview of pertinent academic policies and an outline of the academic year etc.
• Manages the dissemination of student related policies (new and updates).
• Attends informal meet-and-greet sessions with students.
• Facilitates Programme Information Sessions by addressing students in class with a view to explain and induct the students on the relevant policies and procedures that govern student life on campus.
• Facilitates follow-up Programme Information Sessions by way of email broadcasts that occur throughout the year and that drip feed policy and procedure related information to the students as is deemed necessary by the Academic Operations department.
• Conducts periodical class visits to canvas student concerns and share relevant information.
• Provides assignment submission support with regards to the correct anti-plagiarism tool applicable to the respective programme.

Student Query Resolution

• Resolves student queries via the appropriate channel/s within a committed time frame in line with the agreed Service Level Agreement for the Student Relations Centre, and escalates queries to the other centres of Excellence where appropriate.
• Ensures that details of all student contact made by the Student Relations Centre is captured on the academic system accurately and timeously.
• Provides various letters/documents that are generated from the academic system on request by students.
• Escalates queries that are unresolved or may require further attention to ensure that they are resolved timeously.
• Assists with the roll out of all relevant customer related surveys.

Cross Departmental Query Resolution

• Liaises with various departments on campus to stay up-to-date with any relevant changes or developments in those departments in order to enable the smooth processing of student queries including those that require escalation.

Team Support, General & System Administration

• Responsible for ensuring all students notes are captured in the academic system.
• Supports the Head: Student Experience in supervising the Student Relations Centre team and providing them (and others) with training as and when required.
• Carries out an in-depth analysis of student query trends and customer satisfaction survey feedback with the respective stakeholders to identify items that require action or attention and to assess areas of success for continued improvement and development purposes.
• Consults with the Head: Student Experience to ensure that the Student Relations Centre is adequately staffed during the Centre's operating hours so as to facilitate and promote the smooth running of the Centre.
• Supports members of the Student Relations Centre team to ensure and drive the efficient resolution of student queries.
• Supports and collaborates with other members of the Student Experience and Academic Operations teams to ensure the efficient running of the Academic Operations department as a whole.
• Ensures compliance to The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) legislation relevant to the Student Relations Centre.
• Provides support to the team via performance management and management of leave.
• Drives product and policy knowledge within the Student Relations Centre in order to ensure that students are advised correctly.

Competencies required:

• Advanced Interpersonal and Communications skills
• Computer Proficiency
• Planning & Time Management skills
• Leadership skills
• Results Driven and able to handle pressure
• Professionalism
• Empathy
• Customer Service Driven/Focused
• Advanced Administrative and Organisational skills

Minimum Qualification Requirements:

• Relevant 3-year Diploma or Degree in Human Resources, Public Relations, Marketing, Communications or a related field.

Minimum Experience Requirements:

• Minimum of 3 years administrative and customer service experience, 2 years operational management / project management experience / 2 years leadership / supervision experience (for external candidates)

Special Requirement:

• Driver's license and own reliable vehicle.

The following core centre working hours apply:

Centre Core Hours:

• Monday to Friday: 07h00 – 17h00

Shift Hours (Saturday Shift Structure):

• Friday: 08h00 – 12h00
• Saturday: 08h00 – 13h00

Salary:

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

Benefits:

• Lifelong learning opportunities through LinkedIn Learning subscriptions.
• Staff and family discounts on educational programs within our brand portfolio.
• Incentive bonus structure based on performance and achievement of goals.
• Provident fund contributions, including Death & Funeral Cover, to support your financial well-being and future planning.
• Birthday vouchers to celebrate your special day.
• Competitive annual leave allowance for well-deserved time off and rejuvenation.

Application Response:

• Due to the high volume of CVs received, please note that personal contact with all applicants may not be feasible. Only candidates whose qualifications and skills closely align with the position requirements will be contacted for interviews.

Technical Support:

• Should you experience technical difficulties applying for the position, kindly use the following URL for further assistance :

Emeris is an Equal Opportunity Employer. However, preference may be given to previously underrepresented groups in accordance with the South African Employment Equity Act. The company reserves the right to close or place the vacancy on hold at any time, without prior notice.